Performance oriented motorcycles and automobiles are an enormous industry. Countless amounts of money and time are spent refining these vehicles for increased performance. Yet, motorcycles and automobiles have different advantages. Automobiles are inherently stable due to the use of four wheels, while motorcycles are inherently unstable vehicles due to the use of only two wheels. Accordingly, motorcycles require constant balance by a rider and are prone to falling over when controlled by an inexperienced rider. Automobiles are safer vehicles, not only due to their inherent stability but because they have a surrounding frame that can absorb impact during a crash. The rider of the motorcycle has no surrounding frame and will be thrown from the motorcycle during an accident. Due to these reasons, motorcycles are dangerous vehicles to drive on public roads shared with significantly heavier vehicles. Even though a motorcycle is more dangerous, it does have advantages. Due to lighter weight, motorcycles generally accelerate faster and use less fuel. Automobiles are generally heavier and require a correspondingly higher amount of horsepower to match the acceleration of the motorcycle.
Although motorcycles are lighter, they do not actually corner better than automobiles. The automobile is an inherently stable vehicle due to the use of four wheels. At any moment the automobile can perform a sharp turn. For the motorcycle to make a sharp turn, the rider must also lean the bike. To turn the motorcycle, the rider must not only turn the handlebars of the motorcycle, but shift the weight of the motorcycle into the direction of the turn. While cornering, if the weight of the motorcycle hasn't shifted the motorcycle will crash. The time differential it takes to lean the motorcycle to make a turn can mean the difference between avoiding an accident or having an accident. Additionally, an automobile's center of gravity always stays within the width of the vehicle, increasing the vehicle's stability. A motorcycle's center of gravity moves while turning. As the motorcycle turns and leans, the center of gravity moves down and inward into to the turn. The center of gravity actually shifts beyond the tire patch in contact with the road. If a rider hits a patch of loose gravel while turning, the motorcycle can lose traction and come out from under the rider and crash.
Motorcycles also have a cornering disadvantage due to their rounded tire design. A motorcycle tire is shaped like a donut, having rounded edges. The rounded design is necessary to allow the bike to lean while making a turn. The rounded tire creates a small tire patch in the shape of an oval that is in contact with the road. Performance of any vehicle is dependent upon the amount of traction, and traction is directly related to the amount of surface area between the tire and the road. Motorcycles have very small tire patches in contact with the road. The automobile utilizes a generally cylindrical tire shape because the tire does not need to lean to make a turn. The cylindrical tire isn't rounded but rather in the shape of a cylinder. This creates a larger rectangular tire patch in contact with the road. In addition, the cylindrical tire shape is usually wider than the motorcycle tire which adds to the tire surface in contact with the road. The larger amount of area in contact with the road leads to improved cornering, as well as improved acceleration and braking.
Furthermore, motorcycles have a high center of gravity which limits cornering capability. A seasoned motorcycle rider must substantially lean the bike to lower the center of gravity to corner around an aggressive turn. In an automobile, the center of gravity is constant and to make an aggressive turn the automobile driver has only to turn the steering wheel. As can be seen, the motorcycle and automobile each have advantages over the other. It can be seen that there is a need for a vehicle that can combine the strengths of automobiles and motorcycles.
All-Terrain Vehicles (ATVs) are a mix between automobiles and motorcycles. ATVs usually have a motorcycle like engine placed within a frame. The rider sits atop the ATV frame and controls the ATV in a similar manner as the motorcycle. Also, the driver positioning in the ATV is generally similar as that of the motorcycle; being on-top and above the vehicle. The driver seat in an ATV is not meant to keep the rider secured to the ATV. While driving an ATV, the rider will lean his body to make turns. During many maneuvers the rider will not even be seated on the ATV seat. ATVs are intended for off road use as they are not suitable for public roads. ATV's have the wrong tire design for the road, as the ATV tire would prematurely wear away on hard pavement. Also, the ATV has a high center of gravity making it a poor road vehicle to corner. Furthermore, the ATV has tires positioned too close together to provide the stability needed for a road going vehicle. Also, the ATV provides no further protection in a crash than does a motorcycle. Driving an ATV on the road shared with automobiles is as dangerous as driving a motorcycle on the road with automobiles. For some of the above mentioned reasons, it is illegal to drive ATVs on roads used by automobiles and motorcycles.
Past attempts have been made to produce a three-wheeled vehicle. Many designs have utilized two cylindrical tires in the front with a single cylindrical tire in the rear. These vehicles are supported in three places, making them inherently stable. However, a driver and a passenger sit side-by-side in a recumbent position as is similar to the seating position in an automobile. The driver operates the vehicle through the use of a steering wheel and foot controls as is done in an automobile. These vehicles are close in design to the automobile differing with only the use of a single rear wheel. Some vehicles have placed the driver along the centerline in a recumbent position with the engine either completely ahead or completely behind the driver. Once again, the driver operates the vehicle through the use of a steering wheel and foot controls as is done in an automobile. These vehicles are also close in design to the automobile differing by the use of a single rear wheel.
The previously mentioned vehicles have failed to incorporate the driving experience of the motorcycle into an inherently stabilized vehicle. A motorcycle draws some of its appeal due to the unique driver positioning. In a motorcycle the driver straddles the vehicle with his legs. The driver straddles either the engine assembly, transmission assembly, or the gas tank. Straddling the vehicle results in a shorter vehicle, as extra room is not needed to allow a driver to stretch out in the traditional recumbent position of an automobile. Prior vehicles have generally placed the engine either completely ahead or behind of the driver and passenger, resulting in a longer than necessary vehicle. Much of the appeal of the motorcycle is lost when the driver does not straddle the vehicle. Further appeal is lost when the driver is not positioned in the middle of the vehicle. The driver being positioned next to the passenger is an automobile characteristic, not a motorcycle characteristic. Additionally, more of the appeal of the motorcycle is lost when the driver controls the vehicle with a steering wheel and foot controls, as opposed to the traditional motorcycle controls.
None of the previous vehicles have included various features that would be desirable in a single vehicle. It can be seen then that there is a need for a new class of vehicle designed for public road use that combines the best attributes of automobiles and motorcycles. There is a need for a vehicle to accelerate with the ease of a motorcycle due to its light weight, yet also be inherently stable through the use of three wheels. A need exists for a vehicle to have cylindrically shaped tires for increased acceleration, braking and cornering. A need exists for a three-wheeled vehicle to create a more similar driving experience to the motorcycle. A need exists for the vehicle to combine the straddle seating position of the motorcycle along the centerline of the vehicle with the recumbent seating position of the automobile. There is a need for a vehicle that does not require the driver to lean into a turn and has a lower center of gravity than a motorcycle. Furthermore, there is a desire for an inherently stable vehicle to utilize traditional motorcycle controls as opposed to the traditional automobile controls. Additionally, a desire also exists for a vehicle to provide greater safety than a motorcycle. Additionally, there is a desire for a vehicle to have a passenger seat positioned behind the driver seat in tandem where both seats are positioned along the centerline of the vehicle.